Volunteers sort donations and organize them on tables ahead of the first clothing giveaway June 25 at the Moravian Church. Photo credit: Submitted.
Volunteers sort donations and organize them on tables ahead of the first clothing giveaway June 25 at the Moravian Church. Photo credit: Submitted.
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Breakout:
What: Moravian Clothes Closet Giveaway
When: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Moravian Church, 202 Main St., Hope.
Cost: FREE

** For more information about the giveaway or to find out how to become a volunteer, call Linda Foote at 812-560-5943. **
The Moravian Clothing Closet is holding its second free clothing giveaway from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday at the Moravian Church, located at 202 Main St., in Hope.

Spearheaded by Hope resident Linda Foote and a team of dedicated volunteers, this month’s event – which will feature clothing and shoes for men, women and children – will be held in the church gym and individuals are encouraged to take what they need.

“It’s all free,” Foote adds.

Foote first floated the idea for this charitable event to the church and her church group, the Moravian Women, back in February.

“They thought it would be a really good thing to do,” Foote says.

It took a few months and after a few hiccups Foote made the Moravian Clothes Closet a reality. The first giveaway was held June 25, Foote says.

“I’ve done several of them in the past since I was young,” she says. “I wanted to do one for a couple of years now.”

When it comes to donations, Foote says she would like to see more children’s clothing.

“With the way the economy is right now, it is hard to put your kids in clothes,” Foote says. “You think, ‘Oh, that’s so cute,’ and the next time they put it on it doesn’t fit. It is so hard. This way, if you are getting it free, it’s OK.”

In a way it’s not just the church helping out, Foote adds, by donating you are helping someone else out and getting blessed with everyone else.

Foote says she keeps a box positioned on the north side of the church for donation drop offs and that the entrance for the clothing drive is there, as well.

“When you come in that side, you will see the donation box there,” she says. “There will be kids outside with signs letting people know where to come in.”

Throughout the week, Foote sorts through the donations and organizes them in boxes, which makes removing the items for display on tables the day of the giveaway much easier.

Between juggling the sorting of donations and watching grandkids, Foote says she always welcomes help from volunteers.

“During the month it is me and a friend of mine and the grandkids help out,” she says.

Since extensive flooding damaged the church basement, Foote and the volunteers who help her have been utilizing space next door in the mission house.

“After this next event, everything is going to get moved into the new room [in the basement],” Foote says.

Foote is taking things one day at a time, but says she is entertaining the idea of expanding the offerings of this monthly event, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the last Saturday of each month.

“I’m hoping to get it a little bigger,” she says. “Right now, I’m limiting it to clothing. As it grows and things work out a little smoother where I have more volunteers helping, then I may go to more household items to get a family going and keep them going.”